<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Cold, Hard House of Gold by LovesFrogs</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24492970">Cold, Hard House of Gold</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovesFrogs/pseuds/LovesFrogs'>LovesFrogs</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Crack Treated Seriously, Dimension Travel, Fluff, Gen, Jedi Council - Freeform, Shenanigans, Soft Wars AU, Time Travel, Timeline What Timeline, the Council is Shook</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:54:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,998</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24492970</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovesFrogs/pseuds/LovesFrogs</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ahsoka didn't mean to activate her and Anakin's unfinished project early, but it just kind of happened. It shoots her off to... the Jedi Council? And is that <i>Anakin</i> sitting in one of those chairs?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anakin Skywalker &amp; Ahsoka Tano, CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi (background)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>88</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>949</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Open Source Soft Wars, Star Wars, Yubi SW</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Project0506/gifts">Project0506</a>.</li>


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23999575">Ever After, Happily</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Project0506/pseuds/Project0506">Project0506</a>.
        </li>
        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23407009">A Prayer for Strength in Adversity</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Project0506/pseuds/Project0506">Project0506</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The Ahsoka in this story is supposed to be from the Soft Wars AU by  Project0506, which I highly recommend if you are a fan of clones and/or fluff! If you haven't read enough of those to get a general idea, just know that Ahoska comes from a happier place where the clones rallied under Cody and finished off Palpatine, then absconded with her, Anakin, and sort of Obi-Wan to live in peace... or as much peace as they can get with most of the clones and a few extra clan members all gathered in one place.</p><p>PS I made up the year system ABR for After Battle of Ruusan. No idea what people used in the prequels, so that's what you get.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ahsoka landed hard, rolled to save herself serious injury, and smoothly used her momentum to straighten up. To her surprise, she found herself being scrutinized on all sides. The general concept of being watched hardly registered on her scale of bothersome things at this point, but the eyes doing the watching gave her pause. She looked around, squinted, rubbed her eyes, and looked around again. No change. Somehow she had landed in the middle of the circular, vaulted Council room on Coruscant, but this wasn’t the Jedi Council that she knew.</p><p>	Windu and Yoda were still at the head, in front of the vast windows, but to the side sat Anakin. He was paler and thinner than he should be, and Ahsoka knew for a fact that she had left him behind at ground zero only seconds ago. Obi-Wan, who hadn’t been on the Council in forever, was also sitting in one of the chairs via hologram and staring at her, looking old and worn.</p><p>	“Um…” she coughed and trailed off. The silence stretched into massively awkward proportions. She found herself automatically assuming the same straight, unmoving posture and faux-calm expression that Obi-Wan had taught her years ago, just before the first time she’d ever seen this room. It felt strange to fall back into a shell she’d already outgrown, and she deliberately uncrossed her arms in defiance of it. She subtly touched one of her few pieces of armor as a reminder of how far she’d come since then.</p><p>	“Snips?” Anakin’s voice sounded almost desperate, and it was certainly more sad and tired than she’d ever heard before. She turned to her old Master and studied him closely. He was obviously run ragged. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his expression was haunted in his gaunt face.</p><p>	“Hey, Skyguy,” she said carefully. “I think there’s been some kind of mistake.”</p><p>	Obi-Wan snorted quietly, but his glowing blue form gave away nothing when she glanced his way. </p><p>	“Appeared out of thin air, you did,” said Yoda. “Rejected this order, you have. Return now, why would you, and in this manner?”</p><p>	“I…” she stopped. There were several things wrong with this situation. It was true that she’d left the Order, of course, but so had Anakin and Obi-Wan. Had the Vod’alor left those two behind for some reason when they went? There was no way Cody would have just forgotten Obi-Wan, and Rex wasn’t about to allow Anakin to go off alone and hurt himself this way. </p><p>An absurd, horrible, absolutely insane idea was taking shape in her mind. Too bad she didn’t know how to explain her suspicion without sounding like a crazy person. “Master, can you tell me the date and year?”</p><p>	Several Masters inhaled sharply at the question, but Yoda only looked at her consideringly. It was Windu who answered. “It’s the 14th of Telona, 981 ABR. Why?”</p><p>	Ahsoka felt the blood rush from her face. She was two years in the past, on the wrong planet, and looking at people who should not be there. “I think… I think I’m from some kind of alternate dimension. I’m not your Ahsoka, and last I checked it was 983.” </p><p>	“...What.” said Anakin. The rest of the council seemed similarly baffled.</p><p>“Me and Skyguy were working on a new type of transportation,” she said. “It wasn’t ready for testing just yet, but I kind of accidentally activated it. The next thing I knew was landing here, but I was on an entirely different planet before! And this definitely isn’t the same Jedi council that I remember, even from two years ago.” Anakin, who’d never been on the Council in the first place, had been long gone by this point, she was sure. Obi-Wan himself should have been somewhere exploring wild space with the occasional pirate accomplice.</p><p>The Council was exuding an air of complete skepticism. Ahsoka could see that most of them didn’t believe her, with the possible exceptions of Yoda, Anakin, and maybe Master Plo. Obi-Wan should have been able to see she’d grown too much since they'd seen her last, like her Master, but perhaps the resolution of the comm wasn’t that good. He could be calling in from just about anywhere.</p><p>“Is there any possibility of someone coming after you?” asked Master Luminara. “Perhaps your own Knight Skywalker?” She was clearly humoring her.</p><p>Ahoska’s Master was much more Vod than Knight, had been as long as she’d known him, but she didn’t want to open that can of worms. Despite the patronizing tone, she gave the suggestion some serious consideration. “I don’t know. I guess I could try to contact him?” </p><p>She took out her comm and tapped at it hopefully, ignoring Master Bilaba’s quiet mutter of “There is no way in the galaxy this will work.”</p><p>	The comm flashed, rang once, and connected right away, to Ahsoka’s surprise. “Hello? Skyguy are you there?”</p><p>	There was no image, but his voice alone filled her with relief. “Snips, thank the Force. Where the kriff did you end up? Is it close by?” Master Luminara made a shocked, choked off noise. <i>Serves you right for not believing me.</i></p><p>	“Not exactly,” said Ahsoka, eyeing the Masters around her. Yoda was inscrutable as always, Sad Anakin may have been experiencing a stroke, and Obi-Wan just looked resigned. Mundi’s bushy eyebrows had moved comically high up on his large forehead. Even Windu was surprised. “Out of curiosity, how did you make this comm work so well?”</p><p>	“Oh, you know, the Force, some junk lying around, maybe a kyber crystal… why do you ask?”</p><p>	“I think I’ve landed in a different dimension.”</p><p>	Anakin was silent for a long moment. “You’re joking. Please, Ahsoka, I value my life, I’m begging you.”</p><p>	“Not joking,” she told him, still very aware of all the Masters listening to her every word. “I landed in the middle of a Jedi Council and you’re on it. He looks like he could really use a hug. Our favorite pirate is here too, long distance. They’re telling me it’s still the year 981.”</p><p>	He went silent for another long moment, then sighed despairingly. “Okay, one: whose stupid idea was it to put me on any sort of Council?” Sad Anakin bristled indignantly in Ahsoka’s periphery. “Two: I’m going to find someone else to deal with this. I’ll call you in a few minutes with backup. Is there anyone competent and physically present you can talk to on your end?”</p><p>	“I’ll see what I can do,” she said. “Later.” The call clicked off. She took a second to consider her options. Plo and Master Ti were only present virtually, along with Obi-Wan, though she wasn’t sure whether he counted as competent or not in this situation. Windu was just as likely to growl at her as he was to help, and Yoda was always a last resort. Maybe she could make contact with Rex or Cody somehow, but she wasn’t going to just ask a bunch of Council members where the clones were, please, because she needed something to actually get done. The Masters might take offence, which would be funny, but the clones had other stuff to worry about. It wasn’t like they did much to affiliate themselves with the Jedi these days anyway.</p><p>Ahsoka debated for a moment, decided she was not about to stand through another long, awkward silence while she waited, and marched over to sad Anakin. Wordlessly she grabbed his arm, hauled him to his feet, and wrapped him in a big hug. He was trembling faintly. “If other me left because of you I’ll go punch her for you,” she murmured. “I’m two years older, I’ll win that fight.” He choked back a laugh and gave her a squeeze before pulling back.</p><p>	“Thanks, but she told me it wasn’t my fault.” he said. Thank the Force, at least that was one issue she’d dodged. Sad Anakin reluctantly sat back down, obviously embarrassed to have lost even a bit of control in the council room. Ahsoka wondered what his Rex had been doing if he hadn’t trained some of that insecurity out of him yet. She remained beside him.</p><p>	Obi-Wan began to ask another question, but he was interrupted by her comm before he could get much more than a sound out. Ahsoka answered immediately. This time there was a visual of Anakin standing sheepishly next to Cody, who was probably the first authority figure he’d encountered. He was inscrutably professional, as usual, while Anakin still had grease on his face from their project and a hairstyle a’la wind tunnel. Despite his worry, he looked leagues healthier and happier than the sad version on her end.</p><p>	“Tano, what’s this I hear about an alternate dimension?” Cody growled without so much as a hello. She winced. </p><p>	“It was an accident, Vod’alor?” she offered, switching on her visuals. “Look at how sad this weird Jedi Council version of Skyguy is!” </p><p>	“Holy kriff,” said Anakin, zeroing in on his counterpart. “Did you hug him yet?”</p><p>	“Obviously.” She nudged sad Anakin’s shoulder, but he was apparently still too in shock to respond much.</p><p>	Cody turned to her real, sane Anakin with one eyebrow raised. “Whose idea was it to put <i>you</i> on the Council?”</p><p>	He threw his hands in the air. “That’s what I said!”</p><p>	“Kark it all, this is not in my job description,” said Cody. He looked up at something outside the comm’s range and waved, raising his voice. “Rex! Get over here, we’re going to need a code red plan for this one.”</p><p>	“Do you really think it’s a code red?” Ahsoka grimaced. Cody just gave her a Look and she slumped. “Yeah, okay, you’re right.”</p><p>	“That’s why I’m in charge and you two need to stop giving your <i>aliit</i> heart attacks. Now back up so we can get a better view of your surroundings.”</p><p>	She gave sad Anakin a pat on the head and retreated back to the middle of the room.  Real Anakin made guilty eye contact with her through the comm, but they were thankfully saved further scolding as Rex jogged into view. He glanced around confusedly, looking for the problem. He had enough experience with the crazy stuff they pulled to be ready for anything. “Why is my ad’ika off planet, and how is that a code red situation? Is that the Jedi Temple?”</p><p>	Cody sighed. “She’s not just off planet, she’s somehow landed in another kriffing dimension.”</p><p>	Rex paused, visibly rebooted, and pulled out his own comm. “Kenobi, we’re going to need you for this one. Your kids are pulling more Jedi osik.”</p><p>	The one on the Council jerked at his own name, then seemed even more disconcerted when his counterpart responded to Rex. “On my way. How come they’re only my kids when the insane things happen?”</p><p>	Rex rolled his eyes. “Because you adopted them first, so they clearly get it from you.”</p><p>	“I had dibs on Anakin, but I do believe you were the first one to nab Ahsoka. And don’t even pretend you’re not just as insane as the rest of us.”</p><p>	Council Obi-Wan might have quietly been having an aneurysm, judging by the expression on his face. Sad Anakin just looked confused, and everyone else was apparently mesmerized by the conversation. Ahsoka held back her giggle. Just how different was this place?</p><p>	“How far out are you, cyare?” said Cody. “You were still on Ryloth two days ago.”</p><p>	“Just give me a few hours, dear, I can move fast when I must.”</p><p>	Cody cracked a tiny smile. “Oh, can you?”</p><p>	“My young ears,” Anakin groaned theatrically, covering them with his hands and squeezing his eyes shut. “Please, I’m sorry, just spare me this!”</p><p>	“You’re kriffing married, ad, get over it.” Rex shook his head in exasperation and turned back to face Ahsoka. “Hang on, ad’ika, I’ve got a plan. Just keep an eye out for portals and don’t jump in them unless we give the go-ahead.”</p><p>	“Sir, yes Sir!” She gave him a textbook salute. He raised an eyebrow and shot back a <i>kark you.</i> Behind him, Cody made eye contact and subtly tapped his bracer twice, the troll. Before she could respond the connection cut off. She hated it when they got the last word.</p><p>	Master Mundi cleared his throat pointedly. “Am I to understand that the clones are in charge of the war in your world?” He didn’t sound very pleased about the idea. She wondered briefly who he’d commanded back then.</p><p>	“I guess technically they weren’t, but that’s not really relevant anymore.” They stared at her. She stared back, feeling a little bemused. Then suddenly it hit her with the force of a souped-up bouncy bomb. “Karking--are you still fighting the war? What the kriff? Where’s the Vod’alor?”</p><p>	“I’m afraid,” said Master Bilaba, “that we have no… what did you say? Vod’alor?”</p><p>	“You’re kidding.” Ahsoka looked around imploringly. The Masters all met her eyes with confusion and mixed curiosity and distrust. Even sad Anakin didn’t seem to have any idea what she was talking about. “Obi-Wan, you do still work with Commander Cody, right?”</p><p>	His brow furrowed in an expression that she knew meant he was trying to solve a difficult puzzle. “Yes, of course. He is an excellent second in command.” His voice was neutral and confused. There was none of the love that was obvious between her own Obi-Wan and Cody, and Ahsoka knew all his tells. They were only professional friends here, nothing more.</p><p>	“Windu,” she tried. He seemed a little surprised to be called out, but it was hard to tell with his impressive sabacc face. “When was the last time Ponds and Fox got in a fight?”</p><p>	“The clone commanders are very reliable,” he said. “I have no reason to believe there is dissension in the ranks.”</p><p>	“Oh Force, it’s worse than I thought,” she whispered. A world where Fox and Ponds had not irritated each other and everyone else to ridiculous levels was not a world she wanted to be a part of.</p><p>	Yoda interrupted her interrogation, tapping his stick loudly against the floor. “Answered your questions, we have. Answer ours now, you will.” His tone left no room for argument. She shrugged and nodded agreeably.</p><p>	“In your own world, did you manage to find and defeat the Sith Master?” said Windu.</p><p>	A ripple went around the chambers as Council members snapped to even greater attention. “Yes,” said Ahsoka. She had no idea how affiliated these Jedi were with the Senate, or if sad Anakin was also friends with Palpatine, so she checked herself and picked her words carefully. “But things are clearly very different here. I won’t make accusations, but you should keep a close eye on Chancellor Palpatine and his associates. Investigate possible foul play.”</p><p>	“The Chancellor is in danger?” said sad Anakin immediately, apparently ready for a fight. There was something feral in his eyes that she really hated seeing. It had never been present on her own Anakin’s face.</p><p>	Ahsoka hid her wince. “Like I said, I can already tell a lot is different. But in my world, investigating Palpatine’s circumstances led us directly to the Sith Lord.” She could see the way Obi-Wan’s eyebrows lifted in surprise and concern at her careful wording, how Bilaba cast a sharp look in Anakin’s direction, and even how Yoda’s ears drooped. They all understood what she was saying, even if Anakin didn’t.</p><p>	Master Ti cleared her throat. “What, exactly, is going on with the clones in your world?”</p><p>	Ahsoka wondered if the Master was still on Kamino, supervising training for the Vod’e. “They left,” she said. “They declared Cody the leader, the Vod’alor, then ended the war and walked away. They more than earned it,” she made sure to add. “The Republic bought and used them as slaves, so they had every right to cut and run. A few of us even got lucky enough to come with them. I don’t know why other me isn’t here, but I made it to the end of the war back home.”</p><p>	“Are you happy with the men, little ‘Soka?” said Plo suddenly. </p><p>	Ahsoka gave him a soft smile. “Yes, Master Plo, I am. It’s not as if we’re trapped, obviously. You actually visit pretty often.”</p><p>	“I see.” Plo sat back, apparently satisfied. It was good to know that at least some good things remained unchanged in this horrible timeline. “I have another question, if you would indulge my curiosity?”</p><p>	“Ask away.”</p><p>	He leaned forward, hands folded underneath his breathing mask. “Which person on this Council do you consider a pirate?”</p><p>	She couldn’t hold back a laugh at that. A quick look around revealed that Plo was definitely not the only one curious about that little tidbit. “I’d like to give a disclaimer that this person seems to be living in entirely different circumstances here, so it’s very unlikely that their path will go the same way as the one in my world.”</p><p>	Windu raised his eyebrows and Mundi nodded, leaning forward in his seat. Ahsoka gave her sharpest grin. “My Obi-Wan Kenobi left the Order after the war. He claims he’s not a pirate, but everyone knows he still outranks more than half of Hondo Oknata’s crew.”</p><p>	For about one second she could’ve heard a pin drop in the dead stillness. Then Yoda absolutely cackled. Windu turned to face Obi-Wan with something like betrayal and Bilaba stared between Ahsoka and Obi-Wan as if to catch them in a joke. Obi-Wan himself sat frozen with his jaw dropped, as though running off with pirates was the last thing he would ever consider even at the end of the world.</p><p>	Sad Anakin was beside himself. “You can’t be serious,” he said. “Master Obi-Wan is one of the most rule-abiding, goody-two-shoes, civilized beings....”</p><p>	Ahsoka raised an eyebrow at their shock. Obi-Wan’s mouth was now opening and closing like a fish. Yoda had dropped his cane, and his wheezy laughs were slowing. “He lost a lot of faith in the Order,” she said. “And he found someone worth leaving for.”</p><p>	“Oh Force,” said Obi-Wan. Everyone was staring at him, but he barely even seemed to notice through his shock. “Oh kriffing Force, that other me, he was <i>flirting</i> with… but…” He looked at her imploringly, which made it unfairly difficult to refuse him.</p><p>	She relented. “Rex adopted Anakin and got me as a bonus at the beginning of the war. Now you and Cody are practically married, so Skyguy and me pretty much have three parents and, like, a million brothers and uncles.”</p><p>	“...I see.” She was pretty sure he didn’t actually see, but there was nothing she could do about that.</p><p>	Windu called for a recess. The council had a bit of information overload and Ahsoka needed somewhere to stay in case Rex’s mysterious portal plan took longer than a day or two. She volunteered to just bunk with the clones, but Master Bilaba complained that it was “hardly appropriate” and Mundi backed her up. Neither she nor sad Anakin pointed out that she’d done it a million times between battles, even after they made eye contact and shared a discreet <i>These people are ridiculous</i> look. </p><p>	No one mentioned the fact that she was absolutely going to sneak down to the barracks later to find the 501st. If Anakin was on planet, chances were good that the boys were as well, and Ahsoka was determined to give everyone a hug if they all proved to be as bad off as sad Anakin without her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We peek into a few other worlds... but not the right ones</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This story was going to be a one shot but... too many people wanted more for that status to stand :) Thanks for all your comments and support, I loved reading every one! The third chapter is pretty much complete and will be posted tomorrow or Sunday, whenever I get a chance.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first portal appeared while she was still searching for Rex. </p>
<p>	It burst into existence right there in the hall with a strange slurping <i>pop!</i> as if the universe had been sucking on a lollipop, then pulled it out of its mouth to yell some nonsense right in Ahsoka’s face. It looked like someone had torn a hole in the air at her side about an arm’s length away, but the hole had glowing blue edges and appeared to be slowly inching back and forth, up and down in gentle waves. It was mesmerizing. If she stared into the middle of it she could see a fuzzy image, blurred and distorted like a reflection in rippling water. </p>
<p>	It was Anakin. She would know that anywhere, but in whatever mysterious mirror dimension she was seeing he looked both tired and curiously soft, as if he’d never had lightsaber training in his life. He was wearing some kind of comfortable, chunky green top with an apron thrown over it, standing behind a counter that displayed an array of colorful baked goods. He didn’t seem to be doing much work. As she watched, soft Anakin kept glancing back and forth between his baked goods and something out of her view. The disgusting look on his face reminded her of the way he looked at Padme when she wasn’t doing anything particularly interesting, like he still thought it was the most amazing thing ever because she was the one doing it.</p>
<p>	After a minute of quietly watching, soft Anakin steeled his expression and grabbed a cute little piece of cake with a carrot on top. The portal obligingly allowed her to watch as he made his way around various tables and exclusively human customers until he reached someone sitting at a high table by the window, immersed in a book. The man looked up when soft Anakin set down the cake, and Ahsoka almost wanted to be sick. The subject of soft Anakin’s attention was a similarly soft and curiously young-looking Obi-Wan Kenobi, and clearly young Obi-Wan was flirting right back! It was as if her hopeless brother was besotted with her sarcastic uncle or something.</p>
<p>	“Ugh, that’s horrible!” she said out loud to the portal. It didn’t respond, but she caught a glimpse of soft Anakin turning bright red as young Obi-Wan laughed. Ahsoka turned on her heel and stomped away. When she peeked behind her, the portal had already disappeared with another slurping <i>pop!</i></p>
<p>	“Good riddance,” she said, and continued her way down to the barracks. </p>
<p>	The Temple was busy at this time in the evening, with everyone either finished with their daily duties or returning back from the commissary. Ahsoka was glad for the long, shapeless brown robe she’d taken from her temporary closet. She let the hood cover her face and held the robe to obscure her shape and build. This, combined with the fact that no one actually expected to see her there, meant that she could walk through her childhood home completely unrecognized. It was both a relief and a little sad.</p>
<p>	It didn’t take long to track down the 501st. Ahsoka knew they’d always be the rowdiest, awesomest group in the barracks at any given time, and she’d visited them at the Temple enough to know the route in her sleep back when she’d lived here. A handful of years was not near enough to forget that. </p>
<p>	She knocked the standard four times so they’d know it wasn’t, like, an authority figure or anything, and let herself into the break room. It was more subdued than she was used to. Most of the men were cleaning weapons or napping on couches or the floor, looking almost as tired as sad Anakin had in the Council room. The Domino ARCs were completely absent except for Fives, who was quietly tucked into a couch corner doing weapon maintenance. On the floor in front of him, Jesse, Kix, and Tup were luring Vaughn into a game of sabacc. Dogma spectated with disapproval. Rex looked like he couldn’t decide whether to put a stop to that or just let it entertain him.</p>
<p>	Jesse dropped his cards when he saw her. “Commander Tano!” Suddenly she was the subject of what felt like a million stares. </p>
<p>	She grinned and waved. “Hey, that’s me. Except I’m not the me that you think I am, so maybe that actually isn’t me. But it’s still my name and I’m still me, I’m just not the other me…”</p>
<p>	Their faces slowly melted from surprised and happy to just plain confused as she spoke. Ahsoka couldn’t even blame them for that. Rex looked like he was gearing up for an interrogation of some sort, which was what finally made her stop and start over from the beginning. “Sorry,” she said. “I’m Ahsoka Tano from another dimension, we think. I just landed in the Council chamber earlier today, and apparently it’s still 981 here? I don’t know, but where I’m from the war is over and here you all look stressed and tired, so I’m offering lots and lots of hugs.”</p>
<p>	“Huh?” said Jesse.</p>
<p>	“Another <i>dimension?”</i> added Tup.</p>
<p>	“The war is over…?” Kix said.</p>
<p>	Rex pinched the bridge of his nose. “The Jedi cleared you and this story?”</p>
<p>	She shrugged. “Well, yeah. I mean, they assigned me living space until my Rex can implement whatever his plan is, and my comm with Anakin still works. It was pretty hard to deny the evidence when I started talking on holo to a totally different Skyguy.”</p>
<p>	He started tapping out something on his comm, probably a confirmation request. Ahsoka looked around again. Really, where were the pranks and inventive weapons? Why weren’t they bickering with Fox and the guard or brawling with the Wolfpack or something? “Where the kark have the other Domino ARCs gotten to anyway?” she said.</p>
<p>	Fives stilled and turned to her. His eyes were dead, like he hadn’t made or laughed at a joke in years. Dogma put a consoling hand on his shoulder and Jesse leaned back against his legs. “Commander,” said Kix. “A word?”</p>
<p>	Just from that, Ahsoka already knew. She covered her mouth with a hand, but it probably didn’t do anything to hide the way her expression was crumpling. “Okay,” she said. It came out wobbly around the lump in her throat. “Just… one thing first?”</p>
<p>	Kix allowed her to step past him, and then she flung herself at Fives too fast to be stopped and wrapped him in her best bear hug. He seemed a little discomfited, but accepted it well enough. She pressed a quick keldabe to his forehead before she detangled herself and followed Kix into the hall. The men seemed surprised by her affection, but she just couldn’t be bothered to stay back when they all looked like they needed it so badly.</p>
<p>	As soon as the door closed, she and Kix rounded on each other in unison.</p>
<p>	“Commander, what the actual--?”</p>
<p>	“Who should I avoid mentioning?” she said. It was rude to interrupt him, but she really wanted to know what had happened to her usually bright and chaotic 501st. “How many have we lost here?”</p>
<p>	He sized her up, then, the most assessing look he’d ever turned on her. Whatever he was looking for, he apparently decided to tell her what she wanted to know. “Fives is the last of his squad. Three of them died back on their first mission, I never even met those. Echo… we lost Echo about a year ago.”</p>
<p>	She’d been expecting it, but hearing it stated so bluntly was still a blow. He went on hammering away at the gaping wound in her chest, naming dozens of bothers she’d met or heard about in passing. “On our last deployment,” he said, in a horrible, choked voice that she never, ever wanted to hear from him again, “Well, one of the Generals was a traitor. He commanded us to shoot brothers, said they were disguised Seps… because of him, Hardcase and Waxer didn’t make it back.”</p>
<p>	There were a thousand questions and condolences Ahsoka could be saying to him right now, honeyed platitudes or gentle probing for more information. She ignored all of them. “Is the General dead?” she said.</p>
<p>	“Yes.”</p>
<p>	“Okay,” said Ahsoka, taking a deep breath in and letting it out very slowly. “Okay. Please do not let me go and kill the Jedi Council.”</p>
<p>	He stared at her. “Right, Sir, and how do you propose I do that?”</p>
<p>	“You could take me back in there and have somebody sit on me. That usually works,” she told him with a shrug. Then something else occurred to her. “Is Bacara okay?”</p>
<p>	Kix’s eyebrows shot up almost to his hairline. “Are you talking about The Marine? We haven’t heard from Nova since they disappeared out in blackout regions years ago, how did you manage to meet him?”</p>
<p>	“Force,” she said. It was that or start crying. “I need Rex for this.”</p>
<p>	Kix didn’t seem to understand completely, but she didn’t expect him to. Ahsoka resolved herself to avoiding unnecessary upsetting revelations as much as she could and helping them all with the limited knowledge she possessed. Obi-Wan or Cody would have been much better at this, but it wasn’t exactly their job to help fix every possible universe either. She would do what she could and put this behind her, and she would just have to hope it was enough.</p>
<p>	That decided, she elbowed Kix into letting her back in and gave Rex a hug too.</p>
<p>	“Commander--” someone said, but she flapped a hand behind her to quiet them. </p>
<p>	“I’m not your Commander here and I’m definitely not your Commander where I’m from, so you can call me Ahsoka and drop whatever formalities as long as you don’t kick me out.”</p>
<p>	There was a brief, surprised silence before she let go of Rex and turned to face them. Dogma looked shocked, Kix resigned, and Jesse was grinning in a way that meant nothing good. He patted the ground beside him invitingly.</p>
<p>	“In that case, why don’t you come sit here and give us all the dirt you’ve got on Cody and the 212th? I’m sure in two years you learned a few things…?”</p>
<p>	Fives’ mouth twitched, Rex made a noise between a choke and a laugh, and even Dogma leaned in to listen. Ahsoka saw how much they perked up, decided her blackmail stories and pictures wouldn’t be used up if the only ones she told were in another dimension, and began to speak.</p>
<p>	She’d been listening and telling stories for hours when the second portal ripped into the air with a sizzle that brought roasting wild fyrnocks over the campfire to mind. </p>
<p>	Tup jumped back. “What the kriff?” </p>
<p>	“Don’t worry!” she said. “My Rex has some kind of plan involving these things, but I’m pretty sure they’re safe as long as we don’t walk into them.” She peered closer. “Last time I even saw some people through it like a window.” The fact that it had been Skyguy and Obi-Wan flirting never needed to be mentioned out loud ever.</p>
<p>	Rex put a hand on her shoulder as if to stop her from jumping in headfirst. “Why don’t we stay far away from this one, just in case?”</p>
<p>	It was too late for Rex’s nerves, Ahsoka thought. Jesse was already peering into the portal curiously, and Fives was right behind him.</p>
<p>	“Is that Commander Cody? And General Kenobi?” said Fives.</p>
<p>	Jesse nodded, enraptured. “Look, the Captain’s best man!”</p>
<p>	“Wait, what?” Ahsoka slipped out of Rex’s grip and pushed her way closer. Rex, the hypocrite, was right behind her after hearing that a different version of himself was on display.</p>
<p>	Ahsoka stretched onto her tiptoes and looked over Jesse’s shoulder. There in the portal were Obi-Wan and Cody, apparently getting married in an elaborate Madalorian wedding with Rex standing as witness. They both seemed rather awkward, but trying to hide it.</p>
<p>	“Look, a little Skyguy!” she said, pointing. Behind Rex stood a version of Anakin with a buzzcut and a Padawan braid, probably no older than she was. It was surreal. </p>
<p>	“This is so weird. Does anyone else think this is weird? Am I the only sane one left?” said Dogma. He was standing far, far away from the portal.</p>
<p>	“We’ve all just learned to accept it, Vod,” Kix said, clapping him on the shoulder. Ahsoka bit back a giggle and turned away from the portal. </p>
<p>	“It should go away if we leave it alone,” she told them.</p>
<p>	Just as she spoke, the portal popped away again, prompting a loud chorus of groans and complaints from Fives and Jesse. Rex sighed in resignation, and Kix just looked relieved. </p>
<p>	“So,” Ahsoka said with a grin, “another round of sabacc?”</p>
<p>	They played late, and it wasn’t long before someone pulled out a bottle of something that burned her throat like fire. Ahsoka pulled out of the game after her third loss in a row and sat back on the couch instead, leaning against Rex’s warm shoulder. </p>
<p>	“Comfortable?” He grumbled, but she knew he was pleased.</p>
<p>	She smiled, “Very,” and fell asleep there, surrounded by her boys’ bickering and play fighting around her. Much of this universe was messed up, but nothing could be completely bleak as long as the troopers all remained vode and as long as Rex knew everything due to being an adopted member of the Shebse squad.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Alert</span><br/>Rex: So I’ve recently received word that priority messages still get through the blackout. Can anyone confirm?</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Bly: The only ones out that far would have been Nova…? As in disappeared-three-years-ago-and-haven’t-heard-from-them-since Nova? Ringing any bells?</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Gree: Rex are you aware you are calling out The Marine. Asking for my sanity.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Ponds: Where did you hear this??</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Rex: Are you asking because you don’t trust it or because you didn’t hear it first?</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Ponds: It can be both!</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Bly: It’s because he didn’t hear it first.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Ponds: Bly! </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Cody: How do you know this, Rex?</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Rex: Jedi osik situation with a dimension traveller. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Wolffe: Oh of course, is that all? </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Ponds: Really Rex’ika, can’t you give your brothers just a little more than that? Don’t forget who raised you all the way to being a Captain</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Rex: Guess I’ll go tell Cody then</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Wolffe: Outrageous</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Ponds: This is the thanks we get</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Doom: Don’t any of you sleep? It’s the middle of the night!</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Gree: No</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Cody: sorry Rex’ika but if no one responds after a few hours we’re going to have to take this off priority and call it mission unsuccessful.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Bacara: Disgraceful. I taught you better than that.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>[several units are typing]</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>[several units are typing]</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i><span class="u">Priority Response</span><br/>Bly: Karking hells</i>
</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>Ahsoka woke up alone on the Vode’s lumpy couch. She smacked her lips in irritation, trying to get rid of the gross fuzzy taste left in her mouth after a night of illicit drinks and not brushing her teeth. It didn’t work. She reluctantly sat up and rubbed her eyes, then stopped dead.</p>
<p>A foot in front of her nose was a new portal, about twice the size of her head. Through it stood Anakin, but not Anakin as she had ever seen him before. His face was eerily similar to her own Skyguy’s, with the wavy hair, clean shaven chin, and scar crossing over his eyebrow. However, this Anakin had eyebags to rival Sad Anakin’s, and his expression was so twisted with hatred and uncontrolled rage that he seemed utterly insane. He was also staring directly into her eyes with such intensity that Ahsoka wondered if he could actually see her through the portal.</p>
<p>“Skyguy?” she tried. He didn’t even blink, which didn’t actually tell her anything.</p>
<p>Suddenly he shouted something she couldn’t hear and activated his lightsaber, angrily stabbing forward only to be blocked by someone else. Both people moved back, hacking and slashing with abandon, until finally Ahoska was able to get a view of his opponent.</p>
<p>“Obi-Wan!” She couldn’t stop herself from calling for him, but neither of the people in the portal responded. After almost a minute of non stop combat, her two Masters moved too far from the portal to see and Ahsoka was left with nothing but an empty landscape of molten rock and fire. She shuddered and watched the portal sizzle away into nothing but smoke.</p>
<p>“What a wonderful start to my day,” she grumbled, shaken, and stood. Her anonymous brown cloak was hanging lopsidedly off a chair, and she threw the rough fabric back over her shoulders to disguise her identity. From there it wasn’t difficult to make her way to the refractory and grab a few sausages for breakfast. In honor of Rex, who wasn’t around to nag her, she even choked down a pooja fruit. It was relatively early, and no one was really awake enough to pay her any mind, which worked out well. Any other time and someone surely would have wondered who she was and what she was doing eating breakfast as though she came here every day.</p>
<p>She shuffled back out, wondering what to do with herself now, and nearly ran into Windu.</p>
<p>“Miss Tano,” he said quietly. “I see the messenger we sent to your quarters has probably not reached you.”</p>
<p>“No,” she said, surprised. “What was the message?”</p>
<p>	“Please meet myself and Master Yoda in meditation room A-115 for a chat in an hour,” he told her. “We have a few more things to discuss.”</p>
<p>	“We do,” she inclined her head with all the dignity she could muster. “I’ll be there.”</p>
<p>	He nodded and swept past her without a word, and for just a second Ahsoka had to remind herself that Windu was only a sentient and still had to do things like eat. It was a little surreal.</p>
<p>	An hour later she knocked softly and let herself into the room. It was square and small, with an abundance of green, leafy plants hanging from the ceiling and in vases against the painted white walls. On the floor was a large woven red and yellow mat, perfect for sitting on during hours of mediation. Yoda and Windu were already there.</p>
<p>	“Welcome, Miss Tano,” said Yoda. “Much to discuss, we have.”</p>
<p>	“Yeah we do,” she said. “Do you have a jammer?” Windu raised an eyebrow, but Yoda just looked grim and nodded. Windu produced a small black box from his robe pocket and prodded it on with a tiny beep.</p>
<p>	“Okay,” she said, then, “the Chancellor is the Sith Lord.”</p>
<p>	There was a long, tense silence. “Sure, you are?” Yoda finally asked.</p>
<p>	She nodded. “Unless your universe is much more different from mine than it looks, I’m absolutely positive. He and Dooku were behind the creation of the Vode, and now he’s using the war to kill off the Jedi and steal more and more emergency powers until he can declare himself Emperor.”</p>
<p>	“That,” said Windu, “makes far too much sense. No wonder you didn’t say it with Skywalker in the room.”</p>
<p>	“So they are friends here too?” she said. “I was hoping they weren’t.”</p>
<p>	Yoda’s shoulders slumped. “One of the Skywalker’s closest friends, the Chancellor is,” he said. “Distress him greatly, this revelation will.”</p>
<p>	“Yeah, it will.”</p>
<p>	She sat for a minute, contemplating what losing the Chancellor would do to a Skyguy who Rex hadn’t adopted, who she’d left, and who seemed more distant from Obi-Wan than she’d ever seen. It could very easily break him.</p>
<p>	Windu leaned forward, bringing her attention back to the meeting at hand. “How did you defeat him in your world? Can you tell us anything about his strategy?”</p>
<p>	Ahsoka swallowed hard. “The Vode, at least after the first few batches, had control chips in their brains, voice activated for the Chancellor alone. All he has to do is say the word and it erases their free will.” She ducks her head, feeling a ghost of a smile cross her face. “We got lucky, really. All the clones the Council brought along to confront him were senior commanders, and only Ponds had a chip. When the Chancellor gave the order, Colt and the Jedi distracted him, Fox slapped a Force suppressor on him, and the Vod’alor punched him in the face. Then they released the video footage to the public and left him to rot in a cell.”</p>
<p>	She closed her eyes, remembering the glorious look of horror on Palpatine’s face when his lightning had fizzled away. It hadn’t been very Jedi-like to take satisfaction in watching Cody punch his lights out, but she wasn’t a Jedi anymore.</p>
<p>	She opened her eyes to see Windu wrinkling his forehead in horrified thought and Master Yoda… grinning like a maniac?</p>
<p>	“Punched him in the face, the Commander did?” he said. “His right, that would be.”</p>
<p>	She couldn’t help smiling back after that. “It was pretty awesome.”</p>
<p>	After that Windu began grilling her on all the planets and battles she could remember, when they happened, and who was involved. It was exhausting and difficult to think about, but Ahsoka knew it would be worth it if she could help this world get back on track.</p>
<p>	Finally, after over two hours of explanations, she ran out of stories to tell.</p>
<p>	“Thank you, we do,” Yoda told her kindly. “Difficult, that was, but invaluable, your help has been.”</p>
<p>	“I’m happy to help you however I can, Masters,” she said with a little bow. “I might have left the Order, but we are still close allies in my home.”</p>
<p>	“Good.” Windu was curt, but not rude. He replaced the jammer in his pocket and opened the door for them, sweeping out into the hall. Ahsoka made amused eye contact with Yoda and followed.</p>
<p>	They made their way together through the winding halls. Ahsoka needed some time to think, and Windu and Yoda were probably off to meet with more Council members and discreetly explain the situation. She didn’t envy them those conversations at all.</p>
<p>	Just as they reached the atrium, moving with a steady stream of Knights, younglings, and scattered Vode, a familiar squelching <i>pop!</i> sounded loudly from right above her head. Ahoska tensed and looked up, remembering the horrifying version of Anakin she’d seen just a few hours before. However, this time something actually fell out of the portal. She caught it on reflex and caught the portal immediately closing again out of the corner of her eye.</p>
<p>	“So’a!”</p>
<p>	Ahsoka stared down at the small brown-haired child in her arms. The girl was muddy and rumpled, but cheerfully giggling and feeling very pleased with herself in the Force. “Leia?” she said helplessly. </p>
<p>	“So’a!”</p>
<p>	“Well, kriff.”</p>
<p>	Ahsoka looked up to see what felt like a thousand pairs of eyes trained on the child in her arms. There wasn’t much she could do to contain this bit of gossip, she thought with a sigh, and shifted Leia to the side so she could access her comm. The atrium’s high, doomed ceiling filled to the brim with whispers as she dialled Skyguy’s number. It rang over and over while she stood there, feeling the stares of clones and Jedi boring into her from all directions. Finally he picked up.</p>
<p>	“What do you need, Snips? I hope it’s not urgent because I’m a little busy at the moment.”</p>
<p>	“I think I can help you, actually,” she said, bouncing Leia up and down on her hip. “Has anyone small, destructive, and fond of drooling all over people gone missing recently?”</p>
<p>	“You don’t mean--”</p>
<p>	“Leia’s here,” she confirmed. “She just popped out of a portal and practically landed on my head. I think she’s inherited your luck, sorry to say.”</p>
<p>	She couldn’t see him, but Ahsoka imagined Anakin shuddering dramatically. “Let’s hope not. But if she got through that means we’re down to the final checks, so someone should be able to retrieve both of you within the next few hours.”</p>
<p>	“Great!” Something wound tight in Ahsoka’s chest loosened with the promise that she’d be home soon. Not that she had doubted her Master and the full power of the Vode, but inter-dimensional travel was a new one even for them. “You get to tell Padme where she is, by the way.”</p>
<p>	He groaned loudly, and she cackled as she cut off the transmission. Maybe Cody and Rex always got the last word on her, but she could pull one over on Skyguy any day.</p>
<p>	As her laughter died down though, Ahsoka realised she was still the center of attention and felt her face warm. The hushed crowd began to mutter more and more loudly as she stood in front of them, utterly wrongfooted.</p>
<p>“Padawan Tano?” someone said.</p>
<p>“A baby!” someone else observed.</p>
<p>A man in blue 501st armor slapped a shell-shocked little brother on the back. “This is what I meant by <i>weird Force osik,</i> Vod.”</p>
<p>Yoda cleared his throat, and the questions tapered off into restless silence. “Care to make introductions, do you, Miss Tano?”</p>
<p>	“Um…” she bounced Leia again nervously and stared around the room. “Hi, I’m Ahsoka, but I’m here from a different dimension? I’ve been reliably informed this kind of thing is called weird Force <i>osik,</i> so don’t even ask how it happened.” She noticed the Vode in the back shaking as if holding back snickers and smiled. Leia made a squeaky noise and tugged lightly on a montral. Ahsoka grimaced. “Uh, this is Leia. She just fell out of my dimension somehow, probably because she’s a Skywalker and what else is new?”</p>
<p>	“A Skywalker,” Windu said. </p>
<p>	“Yup! Someone should probably get Skyguy over here, actually. He’d probably want to meet his inter-dimensional daughter.”</p>
<p>	The crowd was stirring again, asking questions and making disbelieving faces with their friends. Ahsoka slipped past them before anyone could detain her and followed Yoda and Windu into the lift. Sneaking away was difficult when one was the main gossip interest, but living with the Vode had only improved her stealth skills.</p>
<p>	“I guess they’re aiming for the Council chambers with that portal home,” she said once the doors closed behind them. “Do you mind if me and Leia wait in there until it opens?”</p>
<p>	“Not at all,” said Windu. “In fact, you can expect some extra visitors.</p>
<p>	Ahsoka shrugged. “I figured as much.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Home comes calling</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Windu had told her ‘a few visitors’, Ahsoka hadn’t figured on half the Council dropping in and out to see the baby. Still, she didn’t really mind showing Leia off to them all, including an utterly awestruck Sad Anakin. </p><p>	“She’s so small,” he kept saying, bouncing her up and down as she laughed. </p><p>	In response she reached for his chin and giggled, “Dada!” and Ahsoka was treated to the adorable sight of an exhausted, frazzled Skyguy actually <i>melting</i> with a little choked-off sound that could have been the beginning of a laugh or a sob. She was pretty sure Plo was snapping holos.</p><p>	The Council members had entered at a slow, gradual pace, but no one had come in for an hour when the doors slid open one more time. Ahsoka glanced up and paused, surprised. </p><p>	“Obi-Wan?” she said without thinking.</p><p>	He paused, looking rather taken aback by her form of address. She’d forgotten exactly how he used to look, all prim and proper in his old Jedi robes, except she was sure her own Obi-Wan had never been this broken and frayed around the edges.</p><p>	“You really are an older Ahsoka,” he said with wonder.</p><p>	“Yup, that’s me,” she said, shrugging. “Do you want to see the baby?”</p><p>	He was less expressive that the Obi-Wan she was used to, but Ahsoka could still read the flash of sheepishness that crossed his face. “That’s why I’m here. I assume this isn’t a closed meeting? Commander Cody expressed an interest in saying hello while we’re here.”</p><p>	“You made a bet with him, didn’t you?”</p><p>	He pursed his lips severely and looked at her with disapproval. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, young Padawan.” Sure. He was just trying to keep from smiling, and they both knew she was right.</p><p>	She cut him a shrewd look before glancing around the room. Anakin was so absorbed with Leia he probably hadn’t even noticed his old Master’s presence, and Plo was making heart eyes at the pair even through his thick goggles and mask. Yoda had let himself in with Billaba an hour before and they were watching from a corner, pretending not to be absolutely charmed by the proceedings.</p><p>	Ahsoka turned back to Proper Obi-Wan ruefully. “I don’t think it can get any farther from a serious, closed war meeting than this. Let him in.”</p><p>	Silently laughing, he motioned the door open again and Cody stepped through, sans helmet, to take in the scene. </p><p>	“You owe me ten credits, Sir,” he said. “He’s head over heels.”</p><p>	“Excuse you, I never took that bet.” Proper Obi-Wan looked down his nose in mock superiority. “Only a fool would think Anakin would be anything but delighted by suddenly having a small child.”</p><p>	“Not true!” Ahoska sang. “It was a 50/50 chance he was going to panic.”</p><p>	Proper Obi-Wan tilted his head. “Oh, Ahsoka, there was very little chance of that. He isn’t responsible for this child, after all.” With that parting shot he swept away to force Anakin into letting him spoil the snot out of the girl.</p><p>	“I don’t know,” Cody grumbled consideringly, “I’d say it’d be fair odds if he thought she’d reveal his oh-so-secret marriage.”</p><p>	Ahsoka snorted. “Everyone knows here too?”</p><p>	“Everyone,” he said gravely. </p><p>	They dropped into comfortable silence, content to observe as Obi-Wan snatched Leia out of Anakin’s hands to make friends. “Ba’vodu!” she squealed, and he gaped at her for a long minute before hugging her close, much to her displeasure. Ahsoka caught sight of him whispering something to Sad Anakin, but it was pitched low enough that she couldn’t make it out.</p><p>	Whatever he’d said, Sad Anakin’s face went surprised, then pleased. He looked away and admitted something out of the corner of his mouth, so Ahsoka knew they were having some kind of mushy moment. Her Skyguy wasn’t quite so bad at expressing emotions to Obi-Wan after all this time, but she still remembered that face.</p><p>	When she was able to pull her eyes away, she saw that Yoda and Plo had both noticed the interaction as well. They shared an indulgent look without words, and Ahsoka’s smile stretched wide enough that her cheeks were straining.</p><p>	It was at that moment that her comm filled the room with Anakin’s signature crashing and banging notification sound for an audio call.</p><p>	Ignoring the looks, she answered. “You ready, Skyguy?”</p><p>	“As we’ll ever be,” he said. “Obi-Wan and Rex are coming through in T-minus one minute.”</p><p>	She raised an eyebrow. “You’re not coming?”</p><p>	He huffed. “The Vod’alor claimed I was ‘too karking insane not to cause trouble’, as if Obi-Wan is any better.”</p><p>	There were a few different snorts from around the room, and Proper Obi-Wan looked almost offended.</p><p>	“Let me guess, Cody wanted to come too?”</p><p>	“Got it in one,” Anakin sighed. “Luckily Rex convinced him that he’d be missed too much if something went wrong and he wasn’t back for a while. He even had to pull the adopted buir card.”</p><p>	“Wow,” it must have been a pretty tough case if Rex had resorted to using his barely closer relation to Ahoska and Leia against his vod. “So are you going to send them through or what?”</p><p>	“Oh yeah.” He paused. “Portal tech engaged! See you in a bit, Snips.”</p><p>	“You know it, Skyguy.” She shut off the comm and bounced on her toes in anticipation, ignoring any and all questioning looks.</p><p>	Finally, <i>finally</i> a portal slurped into existence, with smooth rounded edges and distinctly fewer fluctuations that the others she’d seen so far. She barely caught a glimpse of Concord Down before Rex came barreling through, took in the scene in an instant, and swept her off her feet into a giant hug. “Ad’ika!”</p><p>	“Rex!” </p><p>	And she hadn’t been worried, per say, but she hadn’t exactly been at ease in this universe two steps back and to the left. Ahsoka hadn’t even realized the tension that had coiled slowly between her shoulder blades until Rex ran a soothing hand over her back and it all fell away at once. She closed her eyes and buried her face in his shoulder, just for a second. She felt him slip something into her loose robe’s pocket and didn’t bother to hide a grin.</p><p>	“Obi-Wan is doing the thing, isn’t he,” she whispered, undetectable and with her mouth obscured from the others because the Vode had taught her well.</p><p>	“He is absolutely doing it,” Rex rumbled back.</p><p>	They pulled away and Ahsoka turned to take in Obi-Wan, the real one, in his wool and leather clothes and the familiar blaster on his hip. His beard had the distinctive scruffy look it acquired when he was too absorbed in whatever he was doing to remember it, and with the scars his short sleeves revealed he looked every bit the pirate she’d told the Council he was.</p><p>	He was also fussing over Leia and Anakin and speaking only Mando’a, blatantly pretending it was his native language.</p><p>	“Uh… Master Obi-Wan?” Sad Anakin said. “I don’t understand a word you’re saying.”</p><p>	Proper Obi-Wan and Billaba were staring with wide eyes and Yoda appeared to be barely repressing cackles. Plo had discreetly secured himself in a corner, probably hoping to go unnoticed as he aimed his holocam around the room. “Oh Force,” Billaba whispered, “you really are a pirate, aren’t you?” She didn’t seem to be looking for any response, though, and Obi-Wan continued to look upset at Sad Anakin’s haggard experience.</p><p>	“I told you this was an awful timeline, Obi-Wan,” said Ahoska. “I don’t think Rex has adopted Anakin.”</p><p>	<i>”Oh you poor dear, ad,”</i> Obi-Wan said indulgently, wrangling Leia onto his hip and patting Sad Anakin on the cheek with his free hand. Yoda was smirking, Proper Obi-Wan looked caught between bafflement and hilarity, and Cody was clearly biting the inside of his cheek to avoid giving the game away.</p><p>	“What does that mean?” Sad Anakin whined.</p><p>	Obi-Wan, clearly having the time of his life, just smiled.</p><p>	Ahsoka elbowed Rex right under his ribs. “That’s Sadakin. Go hug him.”</p><p>	“Sadakin?” he gave her a judgmental look, and she folded her arms.</p><p>	“Sad Anakin! Obviously. C’mon, it’s brilliant, admit it.”</p><p>	“That’s really stupid, ad’ika.”</p><p>	“You’re no fun. Go hug him.”</p><p>	He raised his arms in surrender and walked over, sweeping her poor old Master into a giant bear hug. Ahsoka caught another distinct clicking sound from Plo’s hidden corner of the room and smirked.</p><p>	“Ack! Rex!” Sad Anakin flailed, clearly unsure what to do with his arms.</p><p>	“You need more hugs, kid. And sleep. Has other-me not been forcing you to rest?”</p><p>	As Rex berated Sad Anakin and pulled one of his old meditation toys out of a pocket somewhere, Ahsoka sidled back over to the Commander. Placing herself at the corner of his vision, she made the battlesign meant to get his attention discreetly and his eyes snapped in her direction. For some reason he seemed surprised she’d used it.</p><p>	She stepped closer and slid the chip from Rex into his hand. “It’s the Kenobi Manuel from my universe,” she said. “He knows we have one, but he’s never managed to find or prove the existence of a copy. It’s going to change your life.”</p><p>	Before he could ask any questions, Sad Anakin’s voice rose into loud, frustrated tones that had her looking over in concern. </p><p>	“Why are you doing this to me? Leave me alone, this is so wrong, I don’t understand…!”</p><p>	Proper Obi-Wan took a step closer, but hesitated, looking unsure. Her Obi-Wan immediately switched to Basic. “I’m sorry, dear one, I just wanted to have a bit of fun. I did not mean to upset you.”</p><p>	“You--you--!”</p><p>	“Deep breaths,” Rex reminded. Sad Anakin sucked air in as if he’d just been released from a chokehold, then breathed it out in a huge gust.</p><p>	“Okay,” he said. “Okay.” </p><p>	“You better be careful, Obi-Wan,” Ahsoka said lightly as the tension eased. “You’ve been spending too much time with the Shebse. It’s rubbing off.”</p><p>	He looked at her for a moment, relief clear on his face that she was alive and well. “Perhaps I’m trying to be a good influence on my dear riduur’s brothers,” he said.</p><p>	Cody choked and Obi-Wan winked at him, which in turn made Proper Obi-Wan’s face go through an interesting progression from pale to scarlet.</p><p>	Ahsoka snorted. “Yeah, maybe I could believe that if you weren’t an even bigger Shebs than they are.” Cody seemed to be having trouble breathing, and Billaba shot her a disapproving look. Yoda appeared to be having the time of his life.</p><p>	“I admit to nothing.” Obi-Wan stood to give her a hug of his own, and she received it happily. The rough texture of his coat scratched at her skin in a way she associated only with Home.</p><p>	“You don’t have to, we all know already.”</p><p>	He scoffed, but left it at that, turning finally to Yoda instead. “Master Yoda,” he gave a slight bow, the proper part of him showing through for a moment. “You have our thanks for caring for our wayward children.”</p><p>	Yoda inclined his head. “Ours, the pleasure was,” he said. “Very enlightening, it has been.”</p><p>	“I’m sure it has,” Obi-Wan smiled. Then he nodded again, a greeting. “Master Billaba, Master Plo.”</p><p>	Billaba was apparently lost for words, but Plo stepped out of his corner, holocam in hand, with just the faintest air of sheepishness. “Master Kenobi,” he said gravely.</p><p>	He waved a hand. “Oh, none of that. I haven’t been called a Master in years, I do think I prefer a life of exploring the galaxy as a simple spacer to all those proceedings.”</p><p>	“Of course, of course,” Plo agreed. “I can’t blame you.”</p><p>	Billaba nodded. She seemed to be having difficulties processing.</p><p>	“Are you forgetting the fact that you’re married to the leader of an entire planet?” Rex called from his place at Anakin’s side.</p><p>	“Really, Rex,” Obi-Wan scoffed. “If you think that’s anything compared with wrangling senators you are sorely underestimating their sheer capacity to be frustrating.”</p><p>	Proper Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. “For some reason I thought senators would be less aggravating where you come from.”</p><p>	“Sadly, some things never change, it seems.” Obi-Wan shook his head, then stepped closer to Cody. “And you must thank your ad for me, Dearest. I’m sure he was the one who handled everything complicated about the situation.” He gave him a quick peck on the cheek and swept away while Ahsoka could still visibly see the gears in Cody’s head turning as he attempted to decide how to process that. Proper Obi-Wan’s face was steadily approaching the color purple.</p><p>	“Alright, party’s over,” Rex grumbled, taking Ahsoka’s elbow in one hand and Obi-Wan’s in the other. “I don’t trust our Anakin not to stumble upon trouble for much longer, and we are not getting stranded in this universe.”</p><p>	“I don’t know, it’s not so bad,” Ahoska said. “You could finally get your own chance to punch the Sith Lord in the face!”</p><p>	“I’ll pass,” he said dryly, tapping at his comm. A few seconds later a new portal opened, and through it she could see Anakin holding Luke in one arm and waving frantically with the other.</p><p>	“Goodbye, thanks for all your help!” Ahsoka called over her shoulder. “Say hello to Padme for me!”</p><p>	The last thing she saw from the odd universe she’d stumbled upon was Anakin’s shocked, slightly betrayed face alongside everyone else’s amusement.</p><p>	The adventure wasn’t the oddest thing that had ever happened to her, Ahsoka knew, but it would make a fantastic story. Imagine a galaxy where the war continued, there was no Vod’alor, and the Jedi just kept countering increasing deadly attacks by the Separatists, never realizing their leader was playing both sides. She hoped for Sadakin’s sake that they got their own happy ending.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And they all lived happily ever after and ended the war! Thanks for reading! :)</p><p>PS several things that I wanted to include but couldn't make fit:</p><p>1. Anakin freaking out more: “Obi-Wan doesn’t have FUN!”</p><p>2. Something like this conversation:<br/>Soft Wars Obi-Wan: Cody, give me dirt on Rex.<br/>Soft Wars Rex: no fair asking inter-dimensional people for dirt!<br/>Canon Cody: He almost bit off Wolffe's ear. There’s still a scar</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>...I slipped and this happened. Sorry, world, now you have to deal with it.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>